(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fastener device, to a seat provided with said fastener device, and to a vehicle.
The invention lies in particular in the technical field of devices for fastening a load to a floor, and more particularly to devices for fastening a load such as a seat to a rail in an aircraft.
(2) Description of Related Art
The term “load” is used to mean any element that is suitable for being attached releasably to a structure.
A seat may be attached to the structure of an aircraft via a fastener device that co-operates with one or more rails.
For example, the rails used in the field of aviation are often of C-shaped section. Such a rail has a bottom wall and two side walls that are extended by rims in order to define a slideway. The rims together constitute a top wall of the rail that presents a succession of wide slots of generally cylindrical shape and of narrow slots of generally rectangular shape.
In order to attach a load to a rail, use is then made of fastener devices that co-operate with the rail.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,298 describes a fastener device having shoes suitable for being inserted in the wide slots of the rail in order to reach the slideway. The shoes are then moved relative to the slideway in order to bring them into coincidence with the narrow slots, and then a screw is turned to control a blocking finger. Under such circumstances, the fastener device is secured to the rail along an elevation axis of the rail by shape interference between the shoe and the rims defining the narrow slots.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,377,040 describes a rail arranged on an I-section beam co-operating with a fastener device.
The fastener device comprises a frame carrying two latches pivoting about respective pins. Each latch has two shoes and a locking finger co-operating with a lever to be moved in an elevation direction.
Document EP 1 762 490 describes a fastener device having a base provided with means for connection to a seat, the base co-operating with a single slide carrying shoes. The fastener device further includes an operating lever hinged to the base and the slide in order to move the slide from an opening position to a blocking position. In addition, locking means serve to lock the operating lever in a closing position.
It should also be observed that the technological background includes in particular documents FR 2 930 202 and FR 2 817 596.
For example, document FR 2 930 202 describes an anchoring mechanism co-operating with a rail having anchoring wires.
Document FR 2 817 596 describes a ball fastener system for fastening a support to a floor.
Document GB 2 406 877 describes a device for fastening a load to a rail having a base and two slides carrying shoes. The slides are movable in opposite directions.
Document EP 2 353 926 describes a fastener device having an elongate body with a non-movable portion and a movable portion.
Document EP 1 342 662 proposes a fastener device having a movable part that slides relative to a stationary part and a blocking knob that locks a stud in a rail.
It will be understood that it can be difficult for a non-qualified individual, such as a passenger sitting on a seat in an aircraft, to operate an unknown fastener device.